The Leopold II-laan curves gracefully around the most famous sculpture of a woman in Oostende: De Zee (The Sea). Although Reclining Nude is another name for this lady the locals always refer to her as ‘Dikke Mathille’ (Fat Mathille). Grard emphasised the volume of the full, round forms. In De Zee he portrayed the opulence and sensuality of the sea in a female figure.
Until 1963 the work of art adorned the Kursaal Casino.

Ship and visit the first Belgian offshore wind farm at sea!During the trip a guide immerses you in coastal shipping and port signaling, various buoys and beacons to the exploration of marine birds and marine mammals to crossing the international shipping route. The ultimate goal the wind farm on the Thornton Bank, some 30km outside the coastline.You have the possibility of taking photographs or filming and afterwards acquires a completely different perspective on the North Sea .... A unique...

The church St.-Petrus- and Paulus is a neogotic church built in 1907 which consists of beautiful stained-glass windows. The tomb of Louise-Marie, the queen of Belgium who deceased in Oostende, is situated in the chapel of the main altar (only to be visited upon request).
The St.-Pieter's Tower, also called 'Peperbusse' in local dialect, is situated behind the church St. Petrus- and Paulus.
Once it was part of the ancient St. Pieterskerk that burned down last century.

Lighthouse "Lange Nelle" :
The famous lighthouse is the fourth one in the history of Oostende and the third one on this location. It was built between 1947 and 1949, rises 65 metres above the sea and guides the fishermen safely in the Ostend harbour.
The lighthouse is not open to the public.

The building dominates the view at the Albert I promenade. The Casino, a design by Leon Stynen (1953) stands on the spot where in 1875 the first casino already stood. The latter was destroyed during WWII. After the war it would still be eight years before the current building was erected. This strikingly large building can boast being the largest in Belgium and is a typical example of modernism. The eye-catchers are of course the murals by Paul Delvaux. On 17th December 2004, the renovated...

The Seamen's Memorial (1953) can be found on the Zeeheldenplein. Each year the numerous fishermen from Oostende who died at sea are commemorated. This was also the location of the first lighthouse in Oostende (1771).

Floral Clock. A special creation in which a total number of about 20 000 plants are used to form a unique palette of colour.
The date - made of flowers - is adjusted every day during the summer months.

This racetrack, neighbouring the Thermae Palace Hotel, is named after the Duke of Wellington. It is open all summer to anyone who enjoys a bit of a flutter or is simply fond of horses. During recent years the racetrack has increasingly been used for important concerts.